Design considerations specific to women

If you’re going to take on a big physical challenge, the last thing you want is to be worrying about your clothing or equipment letting you down. You need to be able to focus on the task at hand, keeping yourself motivated and moving safely toward your goal. But so many women struggle to find warm, technical clothing that meets their requirements. Despite decades of progress in the outdoor industry, there is still a lack of choice that truly addresses women's specific needs when it comes to clothing design.

As women, we already have a bunch of extra challenges to deal with; we have smaller lungs and less muscle mass than most men, we have to deal with periods (both physically and mentally), and going to the toilet isn’t much fun in the cold. That doesn’t mean we can’t do things, just that we have adapt our approach. All the more reason why we need functional clothing and equipment that fits and functions for us, enabling us to push our limits and discover what we’re really capable of.

Women are built differently to men. We are generally shorter, with narrower shoulders, wider hips and shorter limbs. We are also much more varied in shape than men, particularly in our hip to waist ratio. This can make finding clothing that fits more challenging, especially as you get to the warmer, more technical end of the market where there are fewer options and very few specifically designed for women’s bodies.

When you’re close to your physical limits every little thing you can do to stack the odds in your favour is important - like cutting off the handle of your toothbrush to save weight. But wearing ill-fitting clothing designed for men isn’t just a weight penalty: it is actually less effective. Thermal insulation is all about trapping still, warm air; too much space between means the air moves around and can’t be kept warm, but clothing layers that are too tight restrict movement and can conduct heat away from your body more quickly. 

Women also have different anatomical needs when it comes to going to the bathroom: we can pee standing up with the assistance of a funnel device, but we also need to be able to manage periods (and everyone has to go for a number two at some point!). We need functional clothing that makes that as easy as possible when it’s cold and we’re wearing a climbing harness. Hydration has a huge impact on physical performance, especially in the cold and at high altitude, so limiting fluid intake to avoid needing to pee is really not a good tactic. (If you want to know more, check out this blog).

Finally, women have more complex needs when it comes to temperature regulation. The variation in our hormones (both over our monthly cycle, and our lifetime) plays havoc with our thermoregulation. We may run very hot or cold, and also are more likely to suffer from poor circulation, including things like Reynauds Syndrome. Having clothing that allows for ventilation, and helps protect circulation to the extremities isn’t just about comfort – it can make or break your chances at a summit.

As you can see, there are several different factors that make women's clothing needs different to men's when it comes to functional performance. None of this is to do with aesthetics or gender stereotyping, but it all affects design decisions. We are all made differently, and we all deserve clothing that enables us to achieve our goals in comfort and safety.